Check the tour schedule here!
By Shannon Greenland
Penguin, 250 pages
Expected Publication: 10th May, 2012
Elizabeth Margaret—better known as Em—has always known what life would contain: an internship at her father’s firm, a degree from Harvard and a career as a lawyer. The only problem is that it’s not what she wants. When she gets the opportunity to get away from it all and spend a month with the aunt she never knew, she jumps at the chance. While there, Em pursues her secret dream of being a chef, and she also learns that her family has kept some significant secrets from her, too. And then there’s Cade, the laid-back local surfer boy who seems to be everything Em isn't. Naturally, she can’t resist him, and as their romance blossoms, Em feels she is living on her own terms for the first time.
- Goodreads.com description
Em's life was already mapped out ahead of her. When she received a graduation letter from an unknown aunt to spend the summer over her place, she convinced her parents to spend time with Aunt Tilly before she finally starts her freshman year in college.
The title suits the book perfectly. Em's life literally did finally began that summer. She finally got to express her passion in food and found her inner self(no matter how corny that sounds like). Em is quite a character. Once she finds what she really wants to do, she has a really strong voice on it. Sure, there was some family drama in it but it takes the book higher up a notch.
Of course, what's a summer book without a summer romance in it? Cade is just high-five swoon-worthy. And the scenery of the island is just breathtaking the way Shannon describes it in the book.
The Summer My Life Began is definitely a perfect summer read. And since it's summer 'everyday' here in Malaysia, I've got no problem pretending it's summer ;)
Fara
